Weekly Course Schedule

Tuesday January 17

• Introductions
• Discussion: What is digital media art? (5m 45s)
• video clips:  Art in the Digital Age part 1, (3m 59s),  Art in the Digital Age part 2  (4m 12s)
• course website and materials, docusign agreement
• setting up necessary accounts: google, facebook, blog, google docs: spreadsheet, survey, slides, google site
• google calendar, deadlines
• in-class exercises

Thursday January 19

Discussions:

• Reliance on techology, Society of the Spectacle 
• An Illustrated Guide to Guy Debord's Society of the Spectacle
• Online Presence 
• Career building through social media 
• Fair Use vs. Plagiarism. Citing your sources. Collaborative work, wikis, the dangers of wikipedia as a resource.
• File Organization (file cabinet analogy) and formats (how to optimize for web, save as jpeg, save to flash drives with folders and subfolders, upload).

In Class exercises:

• Making original memes with image and text in Photoshop, save for web, post to class facebook page
• google images- how to check copyright (google>images>tools>labeled for reuse)
• Collaborative databases/documents eg. google docs
• Google and share examples of “remixes” and “iterations’ , evolutions  and different interpretations of an idea by the same people (eg. Pepper spray police man meme example). These can be videos, memes, gifs or animations, or music/sound files by different artists. Share to group.
• Look through textbook for inspiration. Also google digital artists. Find at least one digital artist whose work appeals to you. Post an image of the artist's work on the class facebook page. Credit the source: artist and name of work, year. Answer these two questions in the comments 1) What about this piece do you find inspiring or interesting? 2) What idea/theme do you think was the artist trying to convey/express with this work?

Tuesday January 24

• Define these terms: Demographics, Stereotypes, Target Audience

• PBS online: Growing up Online (2008) documentary 56:16, or Growing up Online (revised 2010) 1:25:37

• Introduce Timeline project  - our creative process is influenced by context – universal, cultural, personal – also history, geography, etc.

• Discussion: How much do you think who you are is influenced by your family, where you grew up geographically, your socio-economic status, the era you grew up in, your religion, the technology you had access to, etc.? How do you differ as an individual from your “millennial” peers at CU? 

• Match generation with stereotype spreadsheet

• Pick groups for project and assign decades, handout list of movements, artists, work, inventors, technology . Make a chronological presentation of your assigned decades with images, audio and video clips, and artists from the period

Thursday January 26

• Advancements/evolution in technology and communication  (print, radio, television, internet)
• types of creation, delivery, display
• work on timeline project in class with group
• If time allows, work on personal timeline of your significant life events.
• Horizontal timeline tutorial using Google Spreadsheet. Start at 1:30. Template is available at Knightlab website. Use Google Chrome Browser! Note: Don't change the column headers, don't remove any columns, and don't leave any blank rows in your spreadsheet.
• Vertical timeline (Sutori). Go to a web browser like Safari and log in to your google account. Then go to Sutori.com and log in. Accept terms and select STUDENT. Enter class code 40195 to join LIBB 2500. Click on the Create a Story option, click the "+" button and start adding events to your personal timeline. More information at How to get started tutorial, How to create a story/timeline tutorial , Sutori help

Watch in class:

• Computer Wars- America Goes Online (dvd)
• Desk set internet search vs person (9m51s)
• David Sarnoff clip (end of chapter) - from usb drive
• Steve Jobs introduces Mac (4m40s)
• History of phones (6m23s)

In class activity:

• Work on collaborative interactive timeline project

Tuesday January 31

Collaborative Interactive timeline due: Review timeline at knightlab

• Timeline information will be on mid term (please note: there are errors on the timeline, including incorrect Wikipedia dates AND missing information, double check your sources) Also on midterm: vocabulary discussed in class
• Allusion:an expression designed to call something to mind without mentioning it explicitly; an indirect or passing reference. Everyday and liiterary examples, cartoon and TV examples referencing Of Mice and Men, South Park list of episode references, Family Guy allusions,
• Homage: to pay homage is to pay tribute to those who came before you, as a way of reverence and respect: Simpsons allusions. Musicians covering each other's songs is another example. 
• Influences: the works or artists who came before you to who inspire you, and to whom you may reference in style, content, or message
• Parody: a humourous imitation of something (writer, artist, genre, event, etc.) with deliberate exaggeration for comic effect:  Sesame Street parody examples like Law and Order Special Letters Unit, The Onion, Weird Al Yanovic and Richard Cheese offer different renditions of Michael Jackson's "Beat It," Family Guy, South Park, Saturday Night Live, Dave Chappelle.
• Subvertising: subversive advertising is the practice of making spoofs or parodies of advertising campaigns. They can take the form of a new image OR alter an existing image in a satirical manner, putting the image or the message into a new context: adbusters
•  "Art 21" selection video: Consumption. Barbara Kruger info, Barbara Kruger images,  Michael Ray Charles bio, Michael Ray Charles clip where he discusses his work (1m)
• Research online: subvertisements
• Some other examples of subversive art/artists outside of advertising: Jenny Holzer, Hank Willis Thomas, Keith Obadike, The Yes Men, Bansky Research some of your own!

In class exercises

1) Create a new Photoshop document that is 8 1/2 x 11 size and CYMK color mode. Create one color for background on one layer and different color for text foreground on another layer. The text should be your name. Find a font(s), colors and arrangement of the text that appropriately reflects your personality, repeat and resize if you like. 

2) In your second Photoshop exercise, find an image online or choose one from your phone. Save original image into your work folder. Open the image in Photoshop. Change it to black and white. Use shapes with color and text boxes to reference Barbara Kruger's style, but choose your own message/statement.

2) Research and find vintage advertisements for old techology. Choose one to import into a third Photoshop document, create new text boxes to "rewrite" the ad in a humorous way so as to subvert or parody the original OR import a different image in to change the meaning and context of the original text/message/slogan.

3) Rearch and find other samples of parody. These can be ads, video, audio, image, or text. Post three favorites on class facebook page. Cite the source and comment on each: what is this a parody of (for people who may not know the reference)?

Thursday February 2

• Subvertisement Project prep continues
• Flyers
• Layers
• Magic Lasso tool
• Eraser tool

In class exercises

• Scavenger hunt 10 minutes: Each student is to find one example of one really good flyer, one really bad flyer in the HUMN building or nearby. Take a photo of them on your phones. Upload to class Facebook page best flyer and worst you found. 
• Discuss what works and what doesn't in these samples. Each student presents their findings.
• Casey share class flyer, one sheets. Discuss layers - turn them on/off, isolate, link, lock and move. 
• Make 3 iterations of a flyer for our fictional Groundhog's Day party event. Same event information for each version. You can use the same elements (colors, font, image in each version but change the arrangement of the layout - eg. size of image, position of text, portrait or landscape) for each iteration. Make your first version then create a new Photoshop document and drag and drop the elements/layers from your first version into your new document OR you can copy/paste. (For example, for class flyer, I could make a landscape version with black background and white text and make the apple red. I might make the computer screen bigger and put the apple inside the screen. I could make another version with red background and black and white text, rearrange the text and image into a new composition). When completed, save for web as JPEG and post all 3 to Facebook. 
• Create a new photoshop document. Find an image online of an object/person with a green screen or one color backdrop. Save the image. Right click on the image and open in Photoshop. Once it's open in Photoshop, double click on it to change it from a locked background layer to Layer 0. You can relabel the layer. Go up to the Windows menu, and Arrange - Float All in Windows. Now you can see your Photoshop document and your new image in different windows. Use the magic wand tool, click on the green background and hit the "delete" button to remove the green screen or background color. You will now have a transparent background behind your image. Use the eraser tool on that layer to remove any remaining pieces of the original background. Find  another image online you want to import as a new background. Save image and open in Photoshop. Double click to change the layer from a locked background layer to an editable layer. Now drag your new background image into your document.  Add your person/object layer above it. Post to Facebook page.
• Find 3 additional object/person images with green screen or solid background, remove their original backgrounds, put them on your new background. Post to Facebook page.
• Add new layers add test out different tools on each layer like paint tool, pen tool, shape tools. Play with rearranging your layers. Save 3 versions of layer arrangements of same document to Facebook page. 
• Start brainstorm and researching for your project - look for inspiration online and elsewhere (billboards, magazines, newspaper ads, tv ads, online) and other artists. Post images to Facebook page of images you are collecting as reference or inspiration for your own subvertisement. Caption these images "Inspiration for Subvertisement Project."
• Log in to Lynda.com per last class instructions. Helpful Tutorials for Today to Search For/Explore: "Drawing & Painting in Photoshop - The Great Training, Chapter 7" and The Magic Wand Tool in "Photoshop CS6 Selctions and Layer Masking Workshop" 

Tuesday February 7

• Design Elements 
• artist proposal

Elements of Design
Elements of design are the building blocks of visual design that can be combined with other elements to produce effective layouts and graphics. These elements are the basics of any graphic or illustration. 

Line 
Line can define contour (such as the outside edge or outline of an object), it can express motion or emotion when placed around an object. With repetition, it can convey action, feelings, moods, or create texture (eg. individual hairs or blades of grass). It direct visual flow of an image and how the eye reads the page. An actual line is a solid mark with a beginning and an end. A line can organic and freeform or be straight and sharp. Lines can be curved, jagged or squiggly, thick, thin, dotted. Implied lines are made up of a combination of other elements that form a perceived line with the eye. Lines can create patterns.  See examples in Google Drive. 

LIne Exercise
1) Find an image online. This should be a simple image like a person's face or an animal. Save to workspace then right click to "Open in Photoshop." Optional: Remove background with the Magic Wand Tool or Quick Selection Tool and just put in a solid color background using a filled rectangle shape. 
2) On a new layer above your original, trace the basic image with the Freeform Pen Tool (under the pen tool). On the top menu, select Shape (not path), choose NO fill (white square with red diagonal slash), choose a color for the Stroke, and about a 3 pt line width (solid). Zoom in to be able to see the edges of your image better.  Each stroke you make will create a new layer. Use the eyeball visibility icon on the layers panel to hide individual layers. Command Z to undo or Edit Menu > Step Backward if you make a mistake. You can also use the Eraser Tool to erase mistakes, but you have to be on the correct layer.
3) Add a new layer to your traced image in your psd Photoshop document. On the new layer (or multiple layers), fill the space around your traced image with a a series of lines that conveys either motion or emotion emanating from the image: (Consider color, thickness, straight/squiggly/curvy/jagged, what best conveys the emotion, how many should be repeated and how the lines should be arranged around the image). Think about how comics and graphic novels use line to communicate action or feelings. 
4) Use the eyeball visibility icon in the layers panel to hide the original layer. Now you should only see the tracing and the motion lines. Save as layered psd: Line Exercise 0207 and your initials. Then save for web as jpeg. Note: PSD is your editable format. You can no longer access your layers in a jpeg. Best practice: always keep a psd version, export copies as jpeg.
5) Organize your layers! Trust me, this will come in handy when you create your subvertisement. In the layers panel, create a new group for your image. Put the separate line layers inside that folder and link them together. Name the folder. See Casey's sample. Take a screen shot of your layers panel (Shift Command 4 to get crosshairs, then drag over the part of screen you want to capture). 
6) Upload to Facebook the Jpeg Version of the traced image with emotion or motion lines AND the screen shot of your organized layers palette. 

Shape
The contour or form of a body. Geometrical shapes have psychological meanings associated with them. For example, the triangle has the attitude of convlict or action, the circle gives the feeling of protection or infinity, honesty or equality is associated with the square.

Shape exercise
Shape - In a new Photoshop document, make an image using a comination of filled solid shapes created only with shape tools. The shapes should be recognizable as the objects they represent. Each shape should be on a new layer so it can be moved/transformed, hidden if necessary! For example, I might create a cat using a circle shape for the head, on another layer use a polygon shape (3 sides) to create a triangle for the left ear, new layer, new triangle for the right ear, etc. When completed, link all your layers together using the link tool on the layers panel. Now you can move your finished image as one connected piece. Save a copy for web. Keep the psd version - we will continue working with it. See sample on Google Drive.

Space 
The size taken up by an element within a composition, the relationship of the area occupied by one shape to that of another.

• Space includes the format size, scale, and presentation (eg. the space in which the image is displayed, Dupon a screen or in print, at 300 x 400 ppi or 8 1/2 x 11 inches)
• postitive and negative space is the relationship between the objects of focus (positive space) and the background area around the objects (negative space)
• Illusionary space - a perceived third dimension can be created by placing objects in a way that they are perceived to have depth. You can make a 2D image look more 3D/ 

Space exercise

1) Using your previous shape exercise, put all the layers for your image into a New Group folder. Duplicate the group folder twice. Now you have three images. Change the fill colors to distinguish them. Make 3 different versions arranging the images to overlap so that each image is once in first layer, once in the second, and once in the third. Save each version as a jpeg copy.
2) Add a horizon line behind the shapes. Try to create some depth and perspective and make a flat image more 3D. Play with resizing the 3 separate images with the Free Transform Tool so the further away they are the smaller they are and the closer they are, the larger. Optonal: Advanced students can play with more complex perspective and attempt to add shadows, Make 3 different save for web as jpeg versions so that each image is once in the close foreground, once in the middleground, and once in the distant background.
3) Upload the 6 images to Facebook page.

Texture
The repetition and arrangement of smaller elements to produce a specific appearance or feel of a surface. Texture can be physical (tactile) or visual.

Texture exercise

1) On one of your previous exercises, add texture to an existing image. On a new layer, repeat a series of lines and/or shapes to create a texture. For example, many lines can create a surface that looks like hair or fur or blades of grass, etc.. 
2) Upload a jpeg version of texture exercise to Facebook.

Color
The property of light of a specific wavelength. 
The first property of color is its hue. Hue refers to the major color makes up the specific color being discussed. (For example, the color pink has a red hue)
The second property of color is value. Value can be thought of as the variation of light and dark 
The third property of color is intensity/saturation. More intense/saturated colors are brighter and more vibrant and more pure.

Color exercise

1) Create an image with only 2 shapes and a background using the same hue (eg. variations of red) with different values. (For example light grey, dark grey, and charcoal are different values of black ).Save as jpeg.
2) Find an image online. Save to workspace, then right click and choose "Open with Photoshop." Change it to black and white using Image > Adjustments > Black and White, then check the tint button and adjust the hue and saturation level slider bars to come up with a tint you like. Save jpeg version.
4) Upload the two images as jpegs to Facebook page. 

Next activity:
Once you finish the in-class exercises, start the homework! Write a proposal for your subvertisement project. The proposal is due next class. See the project information on the Project tab of this website.
You may also start searching for free fonts to download. For example, if you were parodying a Coca Cola advertisement, you might want to search for that distinct font. Downloaded fonts will not be usable until our OIT person ads them to the fonts library, which can only be accessed by admin. I have requested him to do that on Monday February 13.Therefore, for the time being, create a FONTS folder in the Workspace drive. You will have to be at the specific computer station where they are added to be able to access your chosen fonts. 

Thursday February 9

• Turn in printed subvertisement project proposals
• Principles of Design for Composition and Layout
• Color Symbology, Color palette, Gradients
• Typography, free downloadable fonts
• Grids and guides

Principles of Design

Emphasis

Marks the locations in a composition which most strongly draw the viewers attention. Usually there is a primary, or main focal point, with perhaps secondary emphases in other parts of the composition.

• Example: Headline type, as the element that summarizes what the rest of the information is about, is the biggest and boldest.
• ​Visually highlight important words, phrases, or graphics.

Balance

• Refers to equalizing the "visual weight" of elements in a design. Formal balance is achieved when all of the elements on the page are of equal weight and are placed symmetrically on the page.
• Balance is the concept of visual equilibrium, and relates to our physical sense of balance. It is a reconciliation of opposing forces in a composition that results in visual stability.
• Lack of balance can create tension in a composition and can be positive or negative dependant on the focal point and visual language of the image.
• Balance can be symmetrical or asymmetrical. 

Contrast

• Visual elements on a page should look distinctly different from one another.
• Add visual variety to keep everything from looking alike and to help the viewer understand the visual hierarchy (most important to least important)

Repetition

• Repetition gives motion to a work. If things are repeated without any change they can quickly get boring. However, repetition with variation can be both interesting and comfortably familiar.
• Repetition may be a clear repetition of elements in a composition, or it may be a more subtle kind of repetition that can be observed in the underlying structure of the image.

Alignment

• Helps your page look organized
• The visual connection among words, graphics, images, shapes, and lines when their edges or axes line up with each other
• A grid is a non-printed system of horizontal and vertical lines that divides the page and helps the designer align the elements

Flow

• The visual and verbal path of movement that the viewer’s eye follows through a page or sequence of pages
• Arrangement of visual elements control the way the viewer’s eye scans through the design

Unity/Harmony

• Gives elements the appearance of belonging together. It is the proper balance of all elements so that a pleasing whole results. The image is viewed as one piece, as a whole, and not as separate elements.
• Using too many shapes or typefaces may cause a design to be unfocused - Best practice = one stylistic font, one easy to read font.

In class exercises: First read the definitions above!

You will be posting all your completed exercises at the end of class in one Facebook post. 

Emphasis, Contrast, Alignment: Table of contents (info provided)  - no more than 30 minutes
1) In Google drive in today's folder, locate and open Table of Contents info (word doc)
2) Open an 8 1/2 x 11 document in Photoshop with a transparent background.
3) Set a background and foreground color on your toolbar. Use the Gradient Tool to create a vertical or horizontal gradient from your chosen foreground into your background color. Select the tool and then drag your tool either from left to right or top of page to bottom and let go. 
4) Command C to copy the Table of Contents text.
4) Select the Text Tool (first option: Horizontal Text Tool). Create a large text box (almost entire page) by dragging out the Text Tool out it forms a box on the document. Copy and paste the Table of Content info into your document inside the text box.
5) While the text box outline is still visible and cursor inside box, Command V to paste the text inside the text box. 
6) Change the pt size of the font to fit to page size. Adjust font color or gradient background colors (you can test additional layers and put them underneath text) so that text is readable (contrasted) against background. Different lines of text can be highlighted individually to change different colors/font sizes/bold/unbold.
7) Decide which text is most important and should be bigger and bolder. Make it so.
8) Under the Windows menu, Choose Characters and Paragraph so you can have those open while you work. Use Characters window to alter text, use Paragraph window to align individual lines of text or all selected parts.
9) Go up to View Menu and choose Show Grid. Showing the grid helps you see your alignment. Create your own "New Guide" and you can have set up horizontal or vertical lines as margins to help you line up your text. 
10) Once you have a readable, aligned, well-contrasted table of context that emphasizes the most important info/sections, save as psd. You'll be uploading all your Save for Web as Jpeg versions to Facebook as one posting at the end of class. So save on workspace for the time being. 

Balance: Business card - 20 minutes
1) Open the Business card tiff in Google Docs in today's folder.
2) Open a new document in Photoshop with an 860 x 540 ppi aspect ratio. 
3) Using ONLY the text and image provided, select colors and fonts and arrange the elements on the page into a symmetrical or asymetrical balanced composition. No importing of new images. The original is not layered so you will have to retype the text  and find the dog paw print in the Custom Shapes Tool, then Look in the library drop down menu (Top Menu, to right of "Shape:")
4) Play with multiple different arrangements (you can copy and hide layers) until you have created one that looks professional. You should always test out at least three different compositions before committing. Save the document as Business card as psd so you can still edit your layers. Save for web as JPEG two of your "test" layout compositions on workspace for posting later. 
5) Save your final version as jpeg on workspace to post later. You will have three total iterations of this project to post at the end of class. 

Repetition, Flow: Type on path - 20 minutes
1) Choose a sentence from a poem or speech or song lyric or slogan. 
2) Import in an image into Photoshop that relates to the the words in theme.
3) In a new layer, draw an outline around the image using the Freeform Pen Tool, this time chosing Path (instead of Shape) on the top menu bar.
4) Select the Text Tool on the top horizontal menu and right or control click to "Reset Tool" (from horizontal path to type on new path).
5) Put the cursor on the path. You will see the cursor looks different when on the path. Start typing and your text will follow the path. Change font size as necessary. 
6) Repeat and make several more paths outlining your shape, add text,  and fill up the remainder of the page with layers of text on paths.
7) change the value of your color with each new addition of text so you have a variation of one hue as the lines of text emanate out from the image.
8)Hide the original image so that only the text layers remain.
9) Save final version as jpeg in workspace.

Make your own Typography - 30 minutes
1) Open a new document and choose a descriptive word (adjective) like blurry, prickly, fuzzy, fluffy, etc. 
2) Your goal is visualize the word as an image using Photoshop tools, filters, and placement of letters to alter the word so it looks like what it described. 
3) You can use tools like  the Text Tool and type the word OR you can use the Paint Brush Tool or Free Form Pen Tool to paint/draw/write your word.
4) If you use the Text Tool, select your text layer, then go to the Layer Menu, and explore Layer Styles and effects. 
5) You can go to the Edit Menu, chose Transform and play with Skew, Rotate, Warp, Flip, etc. You can also warp text when the text layer is selected by going to the Warp Text Tool to the right of the text color on the top menu bar. The icon looks like a T with a frowny face and has a drop down menu with lots of options and slider bars to control the amount of warp.
5) If you use the Paint Brush Tool or Free Form Pen Tool, select the layer, then go to the Filter Menu and eplore filters. You may have to convert your word to a shape first.
6) Put a solid color background behind your word that contrasts the word and makes the word "pop" from the background.
7) Once complete, save as jpeg on your workspace for now.

Symbolic Color, Appropriate Font, Unity - Pulling It All Together! - 30 minutes
1) Research the symbolism of color on line
2) Casey will provide your film or music genre. Choose appropriate and symbolic colors for the subject matter. 
3) Find an font that already exists in your font library that seems appropriate to the assigned theme.
4) Create a tv ad/movie poster/album cover for your randomly assigned film or music genre and incorporate design elements and principles. Utilize the tools you've learned so far.
5) Once completed, save for web as jpeg on your workspace. Now upload to Facebook with all your other exercises from today on ONE post, then start searching for free fonts (see below).

Fun Fonts - at least 10 minutes
Search for free fonts on line that you need for your subvertisement. Create a folder in your desktop workspace called "Fonts."Download any free fonts you might want to use to that folder. This must be done before you leave today, as the OIT person will come in before our next class and add them to the fonts library at your work station. After that, the font(s) will be available in Character Menu at that specific work station. Otherwise, you are stuck with the basic fonts already available in the lab.

​

Tuesday February 14

In class exercise: Valentine e-cards : Use elements and principles of design and tools you've learned so far to create a Valentine's Day greeting for your classmates.
1) Create a new document in Photoshop, Custom Document Type at 700 x 550 pixels.
2) Look up Valentine's Day card parodies online. 
3) Look up images for Textures. Look up images for borders. 
2) Think about the silly boxed valentines you used to buy at the store in grade school to give to your classmates and the candy hearts with messages on them. How could you parody those?
3) The image should contain the following parts (on different layers):

• a character (person, animal, robot, alien, monster, etc) - Can be made from shapes, drawn with free form pen tool (shape with fill), or appropriated and altered in some way
• text with Valentine message/greeting (appropriate choice of font for the character)  - Can be handmade text or font
• a textured border around the four edges of your document - Can be made using freeform pen tool lines or textures from imported imagery cropped and added. What kind of texture would be appropriate and consistent with your chosen character and text?
• Save for web as jpeg and upload to Facebook group.
• This should take no more than half an hour of your class time today. 

Remaining time: Work time on your subvertisement project, due next Tuesday. Read the  Project info, including Grading Rubric.

Thursday February 16

Discuss and draft artist statements  to be submitted with project.
The goal is to help the viewer understand the work better by providing background information they may not glean solely from viewing the image.

• Good artist statements: personal, first-person address to the audience (not just this class), concise, grammatically correct and spell-checked. About 1 paragraph (concise).
• Bad artist statements Vague, impersonal, non-specific, impersonal, don't give any additional information to help understand the work, grammatical or spelling errors, run on sentences, last minute. 
• Do's: Talk about your ideas, how you came up with the concept, your personal relationship to subject matter, mention the specific ads you are referencing or your general inspiration (types of ads)
• Don'ts: Don't restate the project assignment, Don't talk about specific tools you used to complete your process (eg. magic wand tool, drop shadow filter, etc.), don't write a critique of your own work
• Why do we need to write an artist statement? If a visual artist wants to submit work for exhibition, apply for any kind of juried show, grant money, or professional opportunity, we are required to provide an artist statement. Artist statements are often displayed with the artist's work at an exhibition. Even if you are not planning to be an artist, it is important to be able to articulate your ideas in writing. It can supplement the viewer's experience of the work, giving them "inside information" that they may not have realized in their initial viewing.
• What is the purpose? A good artist statement should enhance what a viewer sees in your work and provide a concise introduction to a visual piece. It should be accurate, well-written, and correctly punctuated. It also should be specific to your work and offer unique insight into your creative process.
• If your work is humorous, then it is ok for your statement to be. However, if you want your work to be taken seriously, then consider your audience before you make your work seem too light. In this case, your work will be shown to other Libby RAP students in the exhibition at the end of the semester, and on your personal website where future employers may view your gallery.
• A short and specific personal narrative/story that relates directly to your art making – Autobiography is a highly powerful tool for successful artists. If you are making art for personal reasons, explain them because it deepens the meaning of your work.
• ​Historical context – explaining one or two influences on the work and placing it into an art historical continuum shows that you understand what you are doing and why. It also may invite smart comparisons to your work.

Work time on artist statement: half an hour - Get feedback from Casey to maximize your grade
Work time on subvertisement: remainder of class - Get feedback from Casey to maximize your grade

For your project, remember:

• Visual hierarchy draws the viewer’s attention to key points.
• Limit the amount of content (words, phrases, graphics).
• Too much information causes visual clutter and confusion, clouding your message.
• Don't use more that 2 different fonts. One can be expressive, the other, used for any detail info, should be easy to read.

​

Tuesday February 21

• Subvertisement projects due
• View projects

Thursday February 23

Critiques continued

Tuesday February 28

• Introduce self portrait collage project, due March 14 on Projects tab
• Discuss midterm date
• Discuss scanning
• Texture, layers, opacity, text, color - symbolic of you
• Look at examples Portrait Collage,  mixed media self portraits, collage art, surrealist collage, Salvador Dali, Dada art movement collages,pop art collage, Man Ray, Hannah Hoch, Found Object Sculpture, Andy Warhol,Max Ernst, Chuck Close, Bruce Conner, Robert Rauschenberg, Richard Hamilton, Romare Bearden, Assemblage , Altered Portraits, Maggie Taylor, Rene Magritte, Winston Smith and more

In class activities:

1. Exquisite Corpse/ Potato head. Group collection of parts in collective folders in Google drive. Filter search in tools to Large images only. Each student makes own image from collective pieces. Post your collaged face on Facebook.
2. Warhol self portrait exercise - cropping to square, canvas resizing 200 percent width 200 percent height, make image a layer not a background, use Image > Adjustments (threshold) to change value and make high contrast black and white, duplicate layers to create 4 total images, Position images into 4 corners and label each layer (eg. bottom left, bottom right, top left, top right) Go to  Image > Adjustements (hue/saturation - check colorize box , adjust lightness slider bar to the left, hue, saturation), Make background very saturated/intense/bright,  Add white stroke on inside to differentiate the 4 squares within canvas. Post on Facebook.
3. Kalideoscope portrait exercise with textured background (1 image 4 times, use horizontal and vertical flip - use canvas resizing and Image > Adjustments (threshold) to change value, Import a textured background then use the "Multiply" blend mode on layers palette to have background show through image. Post on Facebook.
4. Clipping image exercise - colored background, 3 shapes (1 shape, 1 pen tool free transform shape, 1 custom shape) 3 images (1 person, 1 landscape, 1 texture). Order in layer palette. Image on top, then shape, add clipping mask in between image and shape). Post on Facebook. 
5. Google images and search Pinterest images of self portraits and/or self portrait collages. Find 3 examples you like and post to class Facebook site. Be sure to cite the source with the artist name and title, if available of the piece and also note what you like about the piece in your comments. 
6. Google images and search Pinterest images of symbolic self portraits. Find 3 examples you like and post to class Facebook site. Be sure to cite the source with the artist name and title of the piece and also note what you like about the piece in your comments. 
7. Google images and search Pinterest images of Abstract self portrait collages. Look at different kinds of techniques and media in the results (eg. silhoutte, mixed media, photo manipulation). Find 3 examples and post to Facebook group. Be sure to cite the source with the artist name and title of the piece and also note what you like about the piece in your comments. 
8. Make a list of at least 10 words that describe you. These words can be nouns (eg. student, snowboarder, musician, Capricorn, class clown) or adjectives (eg. loyal, mysterious, mischevious, creative). Think about how you can these descriptors visually with objects or images you can scan or with photos of yourself. Put the word doc of  list in your folder on Google drive (see homework)
9. View the links/tutorials below and start thinking about what techniques you want to utilize to EXPRESS WHO YOU ARE. 
10. Write a draft of your self portrait proposal to print and turn in next class. Discuss SPECIFICALLY what images/objects, textures, words or text you will import/scan that symbolize you, what SPECIFIC styles and techniques you discovered (from tutorials below or your own online research) and want to try (ok to combine several). The more layers and things the better, because you are not a two dimensional or shallow person. You have depth and layers!
11. Collect objects for scanning next class.
12. Continue unfinished exercises or reseach for homework. See homework below. Proposal and objects to scan due Thursday. 

Explore the following links for tips and different style ideas for your self portraits: 

samples of self portraits 

collage style selection in photoshop

Self portrait effects and techniques in Photoshop 

typographic portrait 

Create a vintage looking collage 

Photoshop collage with layers 

double exposure look in Photoshop

Self portrait with magazine textures

Self portrait with descriptive words 

Turn photo into text 1: or 

Turn photo into text 2

photo to cartoon 1  (if link doesn't work, google Photoshop CS6: Transform Portrait into Easy Cartoon in you tube)

photo to cartoon 2

landscape portrait surrealist 1930s 

split portrait collage

caricature 

Pen tool 

Thursday March 2

• Proposals for Self Portrait Collage due!
• Scanner - Use Image Capture. Scanner belongs to LIBBY and not to computer lab so is ONLY available during classtime.

Activities

• Marquee tool clipping mask exercise (see sample in Google drive)
• Import a photo portrait of someone's face, use image adjustments, freeform pen tool as shape, clipping masks to divide face into multiple separate shapes. Add images of textures above the shape layers and to create cllpping masks so the texture is inside the shape. On separate layers, experiment with different paintbrushes and colors to create additional textures and color around the face. (See sample in Google drive). 
• Continue to research techniques for this project (some tutorial links provided below)
• Find your own tutorials based on the styles you want to replicate in your piece. 
• Brainstorm: what some ways you could combine some traditional art-making techniques with contemporary digital art techniques in this project?
• Use scanner to scan objects for project

 Links for tips and different style ideas for your self portraits: 

samples of self portraits 

collage style selection in photoshop

Self portrait effects and techniques in Photoshop 

typographic portrait 

Create a vintage looking collage 

Photoshop collage with layers 

double exposure look in Photoshop

Self portrait with magazine textures

Self portrait with descriptive words 

Turn photo into text 1: or 

Turn photo into text 2

photo to cartoon 1  (if link doesn't work, google Photoshop CS6: Transform Portrait into Easy Cartoon in you tube)

photo to cartoon 2

landscape portrait surrealist 1930s 

split portrait collage

caricature 

Pen tool 

Tuesday March 7

• Midterm has been rescheduled by unanimous vote to Tuesday March 21
• Work time on self portrait collage

Thursday March 9

• Work day on self portrait collage

Tuesday March 14

• Self Portrait Project Due

Thursday March 16

• Finish critiques of self portrait project
• Midterm review
• Narrative, time based work, graphic novels, moving image, Flip books and animation books. Muybridge and Melies.
• View samples of student animations and other animation

Tuesday March 21

In class

• MIdterm quiz

Today: Let’s look at 2 kinds of animations we can create on a computer. GIF and movie.

An "animated GIF" GIF files were designed to display animation on web pages or in HTML-based emails. The gif must be opened in a web browser to view the movement. If you open it in another program, such as Preview, it will display as a still image/series of still images.

GIFs are not the same as animated movies, which can be played in applications like Quicktime Player.

Since we will be exporting as movies also (and for the final project with export to you tube), we'll use the "standard definition" aspect ratio for non-HD movies: 720x480 pixels per inch. 

Samples are in today's folder in Google Drive (March 21) under "Animation test exercises."

1. Create frame animation of text letters spelling out your first and last name (play with different fonts, sizes, colors of letters) using a series of layers- one layer for each letter. Save for web as gif and keep the project open. Open the gif with a web browswer (Safari, Firefox, or Chrome) to see it in motion. 
2. Now go to File > Export > Render Video (Name file, choose Quicktime movie). Upload your video file to class Facebook group.
3. Create a new document. Create a series of different shapes of different sizes and colors on different layers with the same background. Start a frame animation. As you add frames, change the position of the shapes so they appear to move around the composition when animated. Create at least 30 frames.Save for web as gif and keep the project open. Open the gif with a web browswer (Safari, Firefox, or Chrome) to see it in motion. 
4. Now go to File > Export > Render Video (Name file, choose Quicktime movie). Upload your video file to class Facebook group.
5. Take your self portrait collage and change the layers over time to create an animation using the view and unview layer option, timeline window and frame animation. Save for web as gif and keep the project open. Open the gif with a web browswer (Safari, Firefox, or Chrome) to see it in motion. 
6. Now go to File > Export > Render Video (Name file, choose Quicktime movie). Upload your video file to class Facebook group.
7. Take a series of 6 or so still images on your phone, for example your face with different expressions. The subject should be the same but each image slightly different. Open the photos in Photoshop and put each one on a different layer. Use the frame animation timeline to convert the still images to have an illusion of motion.  
8. Add other things onto the layers (paint, shapes.lines ) to see what those things will look like when animated. 
9. Save one version for web as gif and keep the project open. Open the gif with a web browswer (Safari, Firefox, or Chrome) to see it in motion. 
10. Now go to File > Export > Render Video (Name file, choose Quicktime movie). Upload your video file to class Facebook group.
11. Go to the  "Collaborative Potato Head" folder in today's date under exercises. Create a frame animation using the different Noses/Mouths/Hair-Hats/Eyes-Glasses on the Potato Body and make the Potato change over time with different looks. Create at least 30 frames. 
12. Save one version for web as gif and keep the project open. Open the gif with a web browswer (Safari, Firefox, or Chrome) to see it in motion. 
13. Now go to File > Export > Render Video (Name file, choose Quicktime movie). Upload your video file to class Facebook group.
14. Start working on your proposal for your animation project, which is due (printed version) next class. Project instructions on Project tab of website. Proposal questions under Homework section below. 

Thursday March 23

Turn in animation proposal

In class exercises: Tweening. 

1. Create new document using the Document Type: Film & Video (720 x 480 pixels)Create a frame animation with a shape or character changing POSITION over time using the TWEEN tool on the toolbar of the TIMELINE. See sample in Google Drive. 
2. Create new document using the Document Type: Film & Video (720 x 480 pixels)Create a frame animation with a shape or character changing OPACITY  over time using the TWEEN tool on the toolbar of the TIMELINE. See sample in Google Drive.
3. Create new document using the Document Type: Film & Video (720 x 480 pixels)Create a frame animation with a shape, image, or character changing EFFECTS (using fx drop down menu on Layers Palette) over time using the TWEEN tool on the toolbar of the TIMELINE. See sample in Google Drive.
4. Save each by File > Export > Render Video and choose Format: QUICKTIME. Upload the 3 .mov files to Facebook group. 

Advanced users or students using video: Video layers/keyframes sample available in Google Drive. See me for individual tutoring.

Work time on animation: You will want to test exporting your work to a movie at the end of every work day to check for glitches, raster/render issues, etc. This will give you time to troubleshoot, rather than waiting until you've put in days of work then discover problems the day the project is due.

Important Notes: 
Different layer types have different properties to animate, pay attention to which layer types are being used.
Info on different kinds of layers and how they can be animated:https://www.smashingmagazine.com/2015/06/creating-advanced-animations-in-photoshop/

Video: Video files are large and more complicated, require longer render time and more troubleshooting.

Raster images are made of pixels. A pixel is a single point or the smallest single element in a display device. If you zoom in to a raster image you may start to see a lot of little tiny squares. (pixels per inch)

Vector images are mathematical calculations from one point to another that form lines and shapes. If you zoom into a vector graphic it will always look the same. Images created in Illustrator are vector based. Vector layers create graphics using lines and curves so they maintain their clarity when you enlarge them, but this format leaves them unsuitable for artistic effects that use pixels. Images created in Adobe Illustrator can be imported into Photoshop. When converted to smart objects, these layers preserve an image’s source content with all its original characteristics, enabling you to perform nondestructive editing to the layer.

Some layers (eg. an image imported from Illustrator) may have to be Rasterized (turned into a pixel based layer) before applying certain filters, tools, etc. Any operations that alter pixel data—such as painting, dodging, burning, or cloning require a layer to be rasterized.Certain tools like the brush tools, eraser, paint bucket fill, and filters only work on rasterized layers. In order to use one of these tools on a vector layer, the layer must first be converted to pixels.Select appropriate frame on timeline and appropriate layer in Layers Palette. Right click (or control click) on selected layer to Rasterize Layer. 

Rasterizing a Photoshop layer converts a vector layer to pixels.

Be aware: when you convert a vector layer to pixels, it loses its vector functionality, meaning:

• Shapes and text can no longer be scaled to any size without some loss of quality.
• Text is no longer editable, meaning you can not change the words or the font.

Before you rasterize a vector layer, always duplicate it by choosing Layer > Duplicate. Then, rasterize the copy.

Instead of rasterizing to paint or draw directly on a vector layer, create an empty layer above the vector layer, then use any of the painting or drawing tools on the new layer.
Shapes may have to be made into smart objects before applying transformations etc. Right click (or control click) on selected layer to Convert to Smart Object.

With Smart Objects, you can:

• Perform nondestructive transforms. You can scale, rotate, skew, distort, perspective transform, or warp a layer without losing original image data or quality because the transforms don’t affect the original data.

• Work with vector data, such as vector artwork from Illustrator, that otherwise would be rasterized in Photoshop.

• Perform nondestructive filtering. You can edit filters applied to Smart Objects at any time.

• Edit one Smart Object and automatically update all its linked instances.

• Apply a layer mask that’s either linked or unlinked to the Smart Object layer.

You can’t perform operations that alter pixel data—such as painting, dodging, burning, or cloning—directly to a Smart Object layer, unless it is first converted into a regular layer, which will be rasterized. To perform operations that alter pixel data, you can edit the contents of a Smart Object, clone a new layer above the Smart Object layer, edit duplicates of the Smart Object, or create a new layer.

When you transform a Smart Object that has a Smart Filter applied to it, Photoshop turns off filter effects while the transform is being performed. Filter effects are applied again after the transform is complete.

Tuesday March 28

• No class. SPRING BREAK.

Thursday March 30

• No class. SPRING BREAK.

Tuesday April 4

Day 1 of 4 work days on Animation project, Due Tuesday April 18.

In class exercises:

• Revisit frame animation, tweening with "Boat on horizon frame animation" psd.
• Introduce video layers, keyframes with "Boat on horizon video layers" psd.
• Discuss storyboarding, scene/liocation and shots. Static scene vs. dynamic scene. Trey Parker's student film 1:38-1:50, The Good the Bad, and the Ugly.
• Create a series of 8 frames using shapes, pen or pencil tools: 1) establishing location (eg. exterior Starbuck's) 2) Long, two shot showing 2 characters in frame, full bodies with background (eg. 2 people having coffee at table in Starbuck's) 3) Medium shot (from waist up) of character 1 on left side of frame with some background details 4) medium shot of character 2 on right side of frame 5) Close up (from shoulders up) of character 1, emotional reaction on left side of frame 6) Close up of character 2 emtional reaction on right side 7) medium two shot including both characters 8) long shot of both characters

Work time on animation: You will want to test exporting your work to a movie at the end of EACH work day to check for glitches, raster/render issues, etc. This will give you time to troubleshoot, rather than waiting until you've put in days of work then discover problems the day the project is due.

Your Photoshop document should be created with the Film & Video present NTSC DV Widescreen if you are creating your own images inside Photoshop. If you are importing still images or video, open those in Photoshop and use that aspect ratio. 

• Tuesday's Homework (due before the start of class on Thursday)

  . 

Tuesday April 11

Day 3 of 4 work days on animation project

• Demo in Garage Band, tracks and loops
• test exercise in Garage Band
• Recording narration or using Mac system preferences Dictation or Text to Speech
• Continue work on animation
• Work on sountrack

Thursday April 13

Day 4 of 4 work days on animation project - Projects due next class 

• Finish animation and soundtrack
• Import sound into Photoshop, sync to animation
• test export, allow time for trouble-shooting
• write artist statement, go through checklist of instructions

Tuesday April 18

• Animations due, view in class, critique
• Introduce website/e-portfolio project

• Activity 1: search for examples of bad, worst websites. Find 3 favorites and take screen shots. Post the 3 screen shots in one post. In the comments section note what is so bad about each of them and how they could be fixed to look better or be more effective. Discuss in class.

• Activity 2: Research artist websites. Take a screen shot of the homepage of 3 webites you like and post on Facebook

• Google sites

• Websites can be used to create stories through a series of links. 

• Hypertext narrative sample websites: https://people.ucsc.edu/~rvmallar/assignment3.html and http://www.superbad.com

Thursday April 20

• Google sites. Work day 1 of 3

• Map out your website first on paper. Pages/subpages are like Folders/subfolders. 

• Get all images ready (Photoshop > save for web > high quality jpeg ) for image gallery.

• Write"About" bio text to introduce yourself to website users.

• Choose your Sharing and Permission settings. 

• Select your color palette. Remember the principle of contrast and make sure the text and images are viewable against your background!

Consider this your professional portfolio that you would show to potential future employers.  

Include:

• About or Bio page,
• Image Gallery page of still images (include at least your Project 1 and 2 but can also include any exercises for this class and/or still images from other classes eg. Photography, Drawing, Painting etc.)
• Videos (must include animation movie for this class, can include other videos like timeline project or animation exercises or other artworks but nothing you would not want an employer to see and a
• Contact page with email. You may also include social media links. 
• 3 other pages of your choosing (for example: Resume, Artistic Influences (links to other artists' works), Exhibition Record (can include Libby RAP yearbook and Celebration of the Arts), or if you are not an art major but want to include pages relevant to your major, like a paper or creative stories/poems you wrote or a link to a presentation you made, volunteer work you have completed or travel/study abroad accomplishments, etc. - whatever is relevant to you and your future goals.

Work on website.

Tuesday April 25

Work day 2 of 3

work day on website or portfolio. Test website upload, links. Troubleshoot. Have a classmate test your url. Test on different browsers, and if possible, different devices - Mac and PC, computer, phone, etc. 

revisions of projects, extra credit options

Thursday April 27

Work day 3 of 3

Final work day on website portfolio.

revisions of projects, extra credit options continued

Last chance to troubleshoot in class. Finish website. Have everything uploaded and test all links.

Tuesday May 2

Final Critiques Day 1

• Hang work in Libby

Thursday May 4

• Final Critiques Day 2 

• Revisions due for final grades

• Pizza

Thursday May 11